String Tension Lab All sets Calculator

Elixir · POLYWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) · 13-17-26-35-45-56

Elixir 11100 (13-17-26-35-45-56) in D standard on a 24.75" scale

POLYWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) Medium (13-56) on an acoustic guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 137.2 lb62.2 kg610 N in total and 22.9 lb10.37 kg102 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is very even (spread 1.4%). String 4 (C3) deviates most: +15% from the set average.

Total tension
137.2 lb62.2 kg610 N
Average per string
22.9 lb10.37 kg102 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
very even
spread 1.4%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg050100Nset averagemedium (12-53)1D4.01320.2 lb9.16 kg90 N2A3.01719.7 lb8.94 kg88 N3F3.02625.4 lb11.54 kg113 N4C3.03526.2 lb11.88 kg117 N5G2.04524.7 lb11.20 kg110 N6D2.05621.0 lb9.50 kg93 N
The bronze dashed line is the medium-feel target: the average per-string tension of a 12-53 set on a 25.5" scale in E standard (26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N). Loose and tight are measured against it.Line thickness follows the string gauge; textured lines are wound strings. Hover, tap or tab to a string for details.
#NoteHzGaugeItemType Tensionvs avg
1D4293.7 .013AR013plain 20.2 lb9.16 kg90 N−12%
2A3220.0 .017AR017plain 19.7 lb8.94 kg88 N−14%
3F3174.6 .026ABP026wound 25.4 lb11.54 kg113 N+11%
4C3130.8 .035ABP035wound 26.2 lb11.88 kg117 N+15%
5G298.0 .045ABP045wound 24.7 lb11.20 kg110 N+8%
6D273.4 .056ABP056wound 21.0 lb9.50 kg93 N−8%
Total137.2 lb62.2 kg610 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in D standard, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-5321.7 lb9.83 kg96 N 130.1 lb59.0 kg579 Nlooseeven
Elixir 16077 12-16-24-35-45-5622.0 lb9.98 kg98 N 132.0 lb59.9 kg587 Nloosemoderately uneven
11100 (this page) 13-17-26-35-45-5622.9 lb10.37 kg102 N 137.2 lb62.2 kg610 Nloosevery even
Elixir 11102 13-17-26-35-45-5622.9 lb10.37 kg102 N 137.2 lb62.2 kg610 Nloosevery even
D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-5623.1 lb10.49 kg103 N 138.7 lb62.9 kg617 Nloosevery even
Elixir 16102 13-17-26-35-45-5623.5 lb10.65 kg104 N 140.9 lb63.9 kg627 Nloosevery even

Best match for a medium feel in D standard, 24.75"

Ranked by how close every string is to 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N (lower deviation is better).

  1. Elixir 16102 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 12.7%, average 23.5 lb10.65 kg104 N, very even; same gauges: 11100, 11102
  2. D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 13.9%, average 23.1 lb10.49 kg103 N, very even
  3. Elixir 11125 16-18-28-35-45-56 deviation 16.8%, average 25.8 lb11.69 kg115 N, uneven

More for the 11100

Other tunings on 24.75": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, Drop C, C standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

D standard on other scales: 25", 25.5"

About these numbers

Tension is calculated, not measured: T = μ · (2 · L · f)², where μ is the string's mass per unit length (unit weight), L the vibrating length (scale) and f the pitch (A4 = 440 Hz, equal temperament). kg means kilogram-force: 1 kg ≈ 9.81 N ≈ 2.205 lb.

How a set feels also depends on the guitar's setup: action height, break angle over the nut and saddle, string length behind the nut and bridge, and your playing style. Plain strings feel stiffer than wound strings at the same tension. Use these figures to compare sets, not as an absolute measure of feel.

Sources